1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sheeting head assemblies for processing food.
2. Description of Prior Art and Related Information
Sheeting heads are typically used for receiving and flattening dough into thin sheets out of which food products, such as tortillas and chips, are cut. A conventional sheeting head generally includes a pair of counter-rotating rollers disposed along a horizontal plane and placed beneath a container, also known as a hopper, which receives the dough. The hopper may include means for propelling the dough out of the container toward the rollers. The sidewalls of the container may extend downwardly and also serve as walls to which the rollers are coupled.
In conventional sheeting heads, the sticky, expanding dough can travel in between the rollers and the adjacent walls. Such undesirable dough can internally damage the machine by penetrating into the bearings and other machine parts. The prior art includes inserts shaped to conform to the round surfaces of the rollers and configured to fit therebetween. The inserts are affixed to plates, such as with conventional fasteners, which are interposed between the ends of the rollers and the sidewalls extending from the container. The problem with such inserts, however, is that the dough may travel in between the insert and the sidewall to which it is connected, thereby causing the sidewall to expand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,885 effectively solves this problem with a tongue and groove structure. A tongued saddle is converges downwardly to a tip that is adapted to fit in the pinch point between the rollers. The tongue is adapted mate with grooves defined near the ends of the rollers. Hopper sidewalls, however, must be provided for supporting the insert. Furthermore, the insert must be mechanically coupled to the hopper sidewall using a variety of fastening mechanisms.
Therefore, what is needed is a sheeting head saddle that facilitates easier assembly and less expensive manufacturing.